Pregnancy & Functional Medicine

Pregnancy is a unique and exciting journey. In just nine short months a whole new little person is grown! But with the responsibility of creating new life can come worries and questions. Working with a functional medicine practitioner can be an additional source of support for you , by providing you with a bespoke programme to optimise health for you and your baby. This will include:

A personalised nutrient-dense eating plan – Including key advise on how much to eat at each stage of your pregnancy and how much weight you should be looking to gain. Each plan is tailored to incorporate specific foods to maximise the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy. It will also include extra guidance, in line with government recommendations, around which foods to avoid during pregnancy. ^{1 2}

Advice on supplementation during your pregnancy – This covers everything from the most appropriate multivitamin for your personal needs through to specific supplement advice to meet your individual requirements. ^{3 4}

Targeted support for pregnancy side effects – Whether it’s morning sickness, heartburn or piles, a functional medicine practitioner can give you practical advice on how to adjust your diet and lifestyle to support these symptoms. ^{5 6 7}

Exercise – Appropriate exercise during pregnancy can help to ease aches and pains and keep your body healthy ready for labour. A functional medicine practitioner can advise you on the best types of exercise for each trimester, as well as giving advice on how to adapt your existing exercise regime. ^{8 9 10}

Stress management – even the best-planned of pregnancies can sometimes be stressful and the hormonal changes during pregnancy can exacerbate anxiety. What’s more, the huge amount of conflicting advice and options can be overwhelming. Plus there’s the challenge of juggling pregnancy and work, or existing family commitments, so putting support in place is vital. A functional medicine practitioner can help to guide you through the minefield of options and give advice on diet, lifestyle and supplemental choices to help manage day-to-day stresses. ¹¹

Preparing for your new arrival – in the run-up to the birth it’s common to you feel the urge to get your home in tip-top shape. Switching to natural toiletries and cleaning products, stocking the freezer with easy meals, and ensuring your home is baby proof can all make things easier for mum and baby. A functional medicine practitioner can help you choose the least toxic natural products and provide recipes and meal suggestions so you’re all ready for those first few tiring weeks.

Advice on birthing options – Choosing how to bring a child into the world is a huge decision. Many women now opt to create a birth plan to guide key decisions during labour. This can cover everything from the type of birth you’d like to have, to medication options, and decisions about delaying clamping of the cord or vitamin K injections. As well as talking to your midwife, talking to a functional medicine practitioner can help you weigh up the pros and cons for each option making it easier to decide what’s best for you.